1959.11.05 X-15 MAKES EMERGENCY LANDING

TRIBUTE TO A. SCOTT CROSSFIELD (No. 5 of 5 clips; Scotty went west on April 19, 2006 in an aircraft accident north of Atlanta, GA; he was 84.)
Flight number four, resulted in an emergency landing because of an engine fire with structural damage to the fuselage after landing. The X-15 reached MACH 1.00 or 660 MPH and attained an altitude of 45,462 feet MSL. Scott Crossfield piloted the X-15 fourteen times; The X-15 flew 199 times; Scott's fourteen were during the first thirty flights. The X-15's first eight flights were piloted by Scott. He flew eleven of the plane's first twelve flights. These five clips are put here in memoriam as we approach the second anniversary of Scott's passing; and to honor Scotty and those of his kind. Scott and the others made it possible for us all to enjoy safe and practical flight. The also set the door to space ajar and paved the way for mankind's further adventures there. (Source: National Archives) (more) (less)

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• aviation
• space
• X-15
• NASA
• Research
• Edwards
• AFB
• North
• American
• Aviation
• Scott
• Crossfield
• B-52

[jrcadet4]

@ghostalin Newsreels were always inclined to over-hype their stories. In the late 50s they were competing with television for an audience and trying to justify their existence financially.

[robiniroven]

@ghostalin BECAUSE ITS SO INTENSE!!!

[TakumiFujiwara80]

i wonder how they can stay there with the risk of inhalate hydrazine..?

[ghostalin]

WHY IS THE VIDEO TITLE YELLING AT ME?

[paledin3]

the problem was with the nose gear hydraulics as i remember, due to the cold temp, there was no 'give' when the nose touched down and the x15 snapped. although the area where it snapped was reinforceed, the main fix was to the nose gear, allowing the hydraulics to act as a shock absorber as intended. the plane was heavier than normal cause he could not jettison all the fuel.,therefore landing faster. the nose does not fall because the wing in back[elevator] , not because of thrust.

[1pnoe]

smoothly executed landing, well i'm pretty sure it snapped :/

[Urwumpe]

@TheFunkadelicFan It snapped but exactly at a manufacture joint, that made it easy to fix the damage. AFAIR, it was as simple as just replacing a bit of external hull and use proper bolts this time.

[Urwumpe]

@Darklucario665 Actually, the damage looks worse than it really was ... 70% of all bolts at a manufacturing joint (Exactly: Station 226.8) between the tanks failed during the landing, which was a manufacturing failure that could have already happened on the first flight. The plane was simply repaired and used for further flights.

The nose gear worked perfectly - the X-15 nose gear is really a bit on the stubby side.

[TheNewCW]

@pilgim ok...

umm yeeaaah it is aerodynamically good Raindrops are meaning it is one of the better shapes of an object to move through air, and if it is an optical illusion then ok, the air around the Drop still forms that famous tear drop shape. Watch BBC'ssuper slow motion animal camerawater balloon test it is in the shape of a tear drop...

[pilgim]

@TheNewCW A RAINDROP IS ACTUALLY PERFECTLY SPHERICAL AND NOT LIKE AN 'AERODYNAMIC' TEARDROP,THATS JUST AN OPTCAL ILLUSION